The child smiled at him, and Shandom lifted a brow quizzically before rapidly dropping it. He saw the golden chain twinkling in his hands, and the male assumed he must have scavenged it from the ruined human city. What a strange habit, retrieving artifacts, though the arctic male could see the benefits in searching for such things. In this strange land, where wolves acted like the men of legends, finding their old items must be useful. Still, Shandom could not imagine himself picking up such a strange habit. The texture of the unnatural land beneath his soft paws was too strange.
But Shandom could appreciate that under different circumstances the child would be adorable, his antics endearing and charming to most older males. He gathered himself and smiled gently at the child, kneeling down as to not have such an abnormal discrepancy between their heights. You are quite the scary pirate then! Shandom chuckled, resisting the paternal urge to extend a paw and playfully cuff the youth on the head.
He froze up briefly when the child mentioned his paternity. Shandom didn't know much about how hierarchy worked in Cours des Miracles, but he knew when he was a child there was absolutely no disrespect allowed to an Alpha heir. Naturally, he'd never worried much about that rule - it wasn't as if he could disrespect himself - but he knew it was something punishable in Etienne. Then again, there were little if no similarities between Etienne and his new home, and it left Shandom incredibly puzzled. Shandom decided to pursue the respectful route, and gave the child a small, apologetic smile. I apologize, then, pirate Prince. You are not small at all. But what are you doing all the way out here? A mighty pirate prince like yourself should not be so far from everyone. It would not do not to have a protector.
Shandom was clearly inexperienced in working with children, and the male felt incredibly awkward. Still, though, he could not help but fear for the little boy. It was dangerous for puppies to be on their own, regardless of status.
